US visas issued to Indian students down 30% YoY
What's the story
The US has reported a sharp 30% year-on-year (YoY) drop in the issuance of student visas to Indians in February 2025.
This decline is especially significant, as it exceeds the overall decrease of 4.75% in student visas issued to all countries combined during this time.
The drop in visa approvals comes during Donald Trump's second presidential term.
Revocations
Over 1,000 international students' visas revoked
The drop in student visas comes at a time when over 1,000 international students across the US had their visas terminated or revoked without prior notice.
The situation has impacted over 1,100 students across 170 colleges nationwide.
Many affected students have since sued such terminations, including Indian nationals like Manikanta Pasula and Chinmay Deore.
Government response
Indian government shifts stance
Responding to the situation, the Indian government has shifted its stance from asking students to "follow the law" to extending them support by directly reaching out. Officials of the External Affairs Ministry are now pushing affected students to take legal action.
Wait times
Indian students face longest wait for US visas
Data indicates that Delhi has the longest wait time for US student visas compared to other countries.
On average, Indian students (including exchange visitors) wait 58 days for a US visa.
This is much longer than their counterparts in Tokyo, who wait just 15 days, or those in Hanoi and Beijing, who have an average wait time of just two days.
Visa denials
Student visa denials have spiked in post-pandemic years
The recent dip in student visas and its disproportionate impact on Indian students is likely connected to Trump's aggressive policies.
However, difficulties encountered by international students aren't new.
There was a sharp decline in applications for international student programs during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a surge in applications post-pandemic and a subsequent increase in rejections.
In fact, over half a million students were denied visas in 2023 and 2024.